One Piece: Why Monkey D. Garp Looks So Familiar To Zack Snyder Fans
The official trailer for Netflix's "One Piece" gives fans an extended look at this live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda's legendary anime and manga series. Where previous trailers primarily centered around the young Straw Hat Pirates led by Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), this trailer introduces us to several of the most important figures from across the world of "One Piece."
The fresh faces who appear in the "One Piece" trailer include the "Strongest Swordsman in the World," Dracule Mihawk (Steven John Ward); the former Pirate King and owner of the One Piece, Gol D. Roger; and Luffy's paternal grandfather, Monkey D. Garp. Garp, in particular, only appears for a few seconds near the trailer's start, standing right beside Gol D. Roger during the latter's infamous execution, and wearing his highly-decorated Marine jacket. Although this is our first real look at Monkey D. Garp in live action, he ought to look very familiar to fans of Zack Snyder's historical epic "300" — since he is played by actor Vincent Regan.
In "300," Vincent Regan plays the role of Captain Artemis, the right-hand man and loyal friend to King Leonidas of Sparta (Gerard Butler). Artemis is featured prominently throughout the film as Leonidas' top advisor and constant battle companion, and he plays a key part in their final battle against the Persians. "300" fans will probably remember Artemis best for his last stand on the battlefield, in which he takes out three Persian soldiers while fatally wounded, and finally dies alongside his king.
Monkey D. Garp is a famous soldier in the world of One Piece
Outside of his appearance in "300," Vincent Regan is also well known for starring in films like "Snow White and the Huntsman," 2010's "Clash of the Titans," and the 2004 historical epic "Troy," in which he played Eudorus. Regan's action-packed acting resume makes him seem like the perfect choice for the battle-hardened Monkey D. Garp, who has a long military history alongside the Marines in "One Piece."
Within the original "One Piece" anime and manga series, Garp is a world-renowned Marine soldier and war hero who fights for the World Government — though, at times, his loyalty seems a bit rocky. In addition to being the grandfather of series protagonist Monkey D. Luffy, Garp also has a long and complicated history with the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. Having spent years tracking down and battling Roger (but always failing to capture him), the Pirate King and Garp formed a relationship of mutual respect. Garp even agreed to secretly raise Roger's infant son after Roger turned himself in, as both believed the boy needed protection from the World Government.
While we have yet to see how much of Garp's backstory makes it into Netflix's "One Piece," this brief trailer already seems to be making a few changes to his story. For example, Garp was not actually present for Roger's execution in the manga or anime. In any case, it will certainly be interesting to see how Vincent Regan chooses to portray Monkey D. Garp in "One Piece," and whether or not he manages to live up to Garp's reputation in live-action.